Michigan

Receiver is happy to give

AP File PhotoLions wide receiver Mike Furrey, shown in training camp, and his wife, Koren, will head to Detroit Rescue Mission to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless after today's game against the Green Bay Packers.

ALLEN PARK -- The guiding principle for Detroit Lions wide receiver Mike Furrey on Thanksgiving Day is that it's better to give than to receive.

He will accomplish both this afternoon.

Furrey first will suit up for the Lions for their matinee game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in a nationally televised showdown featuring the top two teams in the NFC North Division standings.

After the game, Furrey and his wife, Koren, will proceed to the Detroit Rescue Mission to help serve turkey dinners to the homeless.

It's part of their Thanksgiving tradition.

"It's not all about football," Furrey said.

"God has blessed me with the ability to play football, and I feel blessed to be able to go out and help people who are less fortunate. It's something that my wife and I feel called to do."

BIO: MIKE FURREY

Position: Wide receiver

Size: 6-foot, 205 pounds

Contract status: Signed through 2009 season

Acquired: Left the St. Louis Rams to sign with the Lions as an unrestricted free agent last year.

College: Northern Iowa

Born: Dec. 12, 1977

Hometown: Grove City, Ohio

Family: He and wife, Koren, have a 2-year-old daughter, Makayla, and 7-month-old son, Stone.

Path to the NFL: He entered the league as an undrafted free agent for Indianapolis in 2000, but was waived at the end of training camp. He played for the Las Vegas Outlaws of the defunct XFL in 2001 and spent 2002-03 as the leading receiver for the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League.

Furrey, a devout Christian, spends a lot of time off the field participating in charitable projects. He started the Mike Furrey Foundation after signing a three-year contract worth almost $9 million at the end of last season.

He was rewarded with a new contract by the Lions following a breakout year in 2006 after leading the NFC with 98 receptions and totaling 1,086 yards.

Furrey, who was born and raised in Ohio, has earmarked all the proceeds from his foundation to benefit Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio.

He donates 40 tickets for every Lions' home game to children's charities, hosts golf and bowling fundraising tournaments and started a chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Plymouth-Canton area of suburban Detroit. In addition, he and his wife visit Children's Hospital of Michigan every Tuesday.

"We just have a passion for kids," said Furrey, the father of two small children, of he and his wife spending time with kids suffering from cancer, terminal illness and gunshot wounds. "We go there and play games with them, or just talk to them. It's a responsibility I feel that I have as an athlete.

"A smile and a laugh is the best form of healing."
He has had a lot to smile about on the field this season.

The Lions (6-4) already have doubled their win total from last year while remaining in contention for the franchise's first playoff berth since the 1999 season.

He has caught 39 passes for 465 yards and one touchdown.

Everywhere he goes, Furrey gets a warm reception from the fans. He's just as thankful, however, for opportunities to participate in making a small difference in the lives of sick children and people living on the streets.

"A lot of people just want to talk. The comment I hear the most is, 'You look much bigger on television,' but that's all right," Furrey said with a smile.

It's both a heartwarming and humbling experience.

"It definitely puts you in your place real quick. It's two different worlds, but we're all equal, we're all the same, we all have problems of our own," he said. "After I get done talking to them, I'm not just Mike Furrey the professional football player anymore. I'm a real person and I'm a friend.

"The best part about it, though, is being able to put a smile on people's faces who probably haven't smiled in a long time. It makes you feel good."

It's a special feeling that's contagious.

Backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky, also a Christian, joined the Furreys to help serve meals to the homeless at the Detroit Rescue Mission last weekend.

He'll join them again after today's game.

"It's gratifying," Orlovsky said of taking time out to volunteer. "Everyone thinks of us as football players, but God didn't put us here so that we'd have the ability to make a ton of money and live a lavish lifestyle.